Golf tee with directional pointer



June 10, 1969 I DREYFU'S I 3,448,984

7 GOLF TEE WITH DIRECTIONAL POINTER Original Filed July 28, 1964 INVENT OR J05 a e/1 flregfus United States Patent 3,448,984 GOLF TEE WITH DIRECTIONAL POINTER Joseph Dreyfus, 730 Fort Washington Ave., New York, N.Y. 10040 Original application July 28, 1964, Ser. No. 385,684, now Patent No. 3,347,551, dated Oct. 17, 1967. Divided and this application Aug. 9, 1967, Ser. No. 659,424

Int. Cl. A63b 57/00, 69/36 US. Cl. 273-183 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A golf tee having an elongated slot centrally thereof, extending from the head of the tee to its point. The upper portion of the slot has a pivot in which is rotatably mounted, in frictional relationship, a pointer plate which can be retracted within the slot of the tee or extended to a position perpendicularly to the elongated tee so that when the tee is inserted in the ground, it cain be turned so that the directional pointer is facing in a direction in which the ball is to be driven. The directional pointer can be retracted within the slot to get it out of the way when not in use.

Cross-references to related application The present invention is a divisional application of a prior application having the Ser. No. 385,684, filed July 28, 1964, now Patent No. 3,347,551, by the same ininventor of this application.

This invention relates to golfing equipment and more particularly to a directional pointer adapted to be mounted on a golf tee for aiding the golfer in lining up the shot for driving the ball in the direction desired.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a directional pointer for aiding a golfer in lining up a shot that is adapted to be mounted readily on any conventional golf tee.

Another object of the invention is to provide a golf tee that is adapted to aid a golfer in lining up the shot for driving the ball in the direction desired.

A further object is to provide a golf tee that aids the golfer in squaring away the face of the golf club to the intended line of flight.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a directional pointer that is adapted to be readily mounted on a golf tee of ordinary construction for aiding the golfer in sighting the intended line of flight.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a golf tee with means for aiding in sighting the intended line of flight of the ball, in keeping the head still and in reminding the golfer to swing the golf club head in the direction of intended line of flight of the ball.

For further comprehension of the invention and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompaning drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

FIG. 1 is a view partly perspective and partly diagrammatic of an embodiment of the invention showing the golf tee driven into the turf and supporting a golf ball and with the head of a golf club shown in position squared away to hit the ball in the direction of the pointer on the golf tee,

FIG. 2 is a detailed view, the golf tee embodying the invention,

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of 3,448,984 Patented June 10, 1969 FIG. 2 showing the directional pointer swung to collapsed condition.

Referring now in detail to the various views of the drawings, in FIG. 1 a directional pointer 10 embodying one form of the invention is shown; The pointer 10 comprises an elongated flat pointer plate body 12 of plastic or other suitable material. The pointer plate 12 includes at one end a tapered point 14 and at its other end is hinged by a pivot pin 16 within a slot 18 formed longitudinally in a golf tee 20. The flat pointer plate 12 has a slightly larger thickness than the width of the slot 18 so that in assembling the slot 18 is forced upon to permit the insertion of the pointer plate 12 so that there is frictional engagement'o'f the pointer plate 12 with the slot 18. This is needed so that the plate 12 remains in position when rotated from its retracted position shown in FIG. 3 to its extended position shown in FIG. 2. The retraction and extension of the pointer plate 12 is shown by arrows in FIG. 2.

In FIG. 1 the directional pointer 10 is shown in operative position on the golf tee 20, which tee may be made of wood or plastic and is formed with an enlarged head 22 as stated before, pivotally mounted on the pin 16 is into the turf found on golf courses. The top surface of the head'22 is preferably dished as indicated at 26 to seat a golf ball 27 as shown in FIG. 8.

In use, the pointer 10 with the pointer plate 12 in anextended position and the end 24 of the tee 20 pointing downwardly, as viewed in FIG. 1, is inserted into the ground. The tee then is turned around until the pointed end 14 of the pointer plate 12 is pointing in the direction of the intended line of flight of the ball 27. This aids the golfer in squaring the face 28 of a golf head 30 or positioning it at right angles to the intended line of flight of the ball as illustrated in FIG. 1.

The slot 18 of the golf tee 20 with the enlarged head 22 and pointed opposite end 24 extends from a point closely spaced from the pointed end 24 to the dished portion 26 of the head 22 and intersecting said dished portion 26 at one side thereof as indicated at 32. The pivot pin 16 extends across the slot 18 adjacent the head 22 as stated before, pivotaly mounted on the pin 16 is the one end of the plate 12 of the directional pointer 10. The top edge of the pointer at its pivoted end being curved to conform to the curvature of the dished portion 26.

-In use, therefore, the directional pointer 10 is swung outwardly to a horizontal position as shown in FIG. 2 to serve as a guide for squaring the face of the club head 30 across the intended line of flight. When not in use or when stored away, the pointer plate 12 of the directional pointer 10 is swung inwardly into the slot 18 as shown in FIG. 3.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A golf tee comprising an elongated narrow body with a dished head at one end and a point at the other end, said body *having a slot centrally thereof extending from the head to a point closely spaced from the pointed end of the body, said dished head having a slot at one side thereof aligned and communicating with the central slot in the elongated body, and a directional pointer swingably attached to the dished head and receivable in the slot in the dished head and in the center slot in the elongated body.

2. A golf tee as claimed in claim 1, further comprising 3 a pivot pin extending across the slot in the dished head, said directional pointer being pivotally attached at one end to said pivot pin and receivable in the center slot in the elongated body when in collapsed condition.

3. A golf tee as claimed in claim 1 wherein said head slot is positioned at one side of said head, intersects the upper end of the elongated body, and extends to the center of the dished head, and said elongated directional pointer is adapted to be frictionally held in a position in said head slot extending radially of the head.

4. A golf tee as claimed in claim 1 wherein said head includes the head slot at one side thereof intersecting the upper end of the elongated body, said head slot eX- tending to the center of the dished head, a pivot pin extending across the head slot and said elongated directional pointer having an elongated fiat body with inner and outer ends, the upper surface of said inner end being curved to substantially conform to the curvature of the upper surface of the dished head.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,839,040 12/1931 McCarrier 2732()2 FOREIGN PATENTS 2,840 1901 Great Britain. 305,820 2/1929 Great Britain. 445,795 4/ 1936 Great Britain.

GEORGE J. MA'RLO, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

